Tool post construction



Nov. 5, 19

gli: 25

E. M. PEDERSEN ET AL TOOL POST CONSTRUCTION Filed July 6, 1955 'FIIE Z TOOL POST CONSTRUCTION Edvard M. Pedersen and Louis E. Leupe, San Mateo, and Joseph F. Balzer, Sau Francisco, Calif., assignors to Marvic, Inc., San Mateo, Calif., a corporation of California Application July 6, 1953, Serial No. 366,096

4 Claims. (Cl. 82--37) This invention relates generally to tool posts for use on lathes, and particularly on metal turning lathes.

There is presently on the market a tool post and tool holder wherein the same handle is used for operating the tool post tightening mechanism and the tool holder engaging mechanism. The handle itself engages the tool holder tightening mechanism, but an additional plunger pin placed on the handle engages the tool post tightening mechanism. When it is desired to move the handle to an out-of-the-way position, it is necessary to disengage both the plunger pin and the handle'before the handle can be rotated.

The above described device also utilizes spring urged plunger pins for engaging the tool holders. It has been found that these plunger pins are diflicult to insert and remove.

In general tool posts designed to facilitate rapid setups have all lacked desired simplicity of operation. They have been diflicult and expensive to manufacture.

In general it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved device of the above character which will be simpler to operate, assemble and disassemble and economical to construct.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved `device of this kind which will substantially reduce setup time.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved device of this kind which can be operated by a single handle, in conjunction with an operating member capable of being placed in three positions, to determine whether the lhandle should be free-wheeling, whether it should operate the tool holder engaging mechanism alone, or whether it should operate the tool holder engaging mechanism at the same time it is operating the tool post tightening mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved pins for the tool holder engaging mechanism.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view (partly in crosssection) taken along the line 1-1 of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 2 2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 of Figure 1.

In general, our invention consists of a tool post assembly wherein a single handle, in conjunction with an operating member movable to three positions, is used for operating the tool engaging mechanism and the tool post tightening mechanism.

The embodiment of the device shown in the drawing consists of cubical block which forms a mounting for the tool holder engaging mechanism and the tool post tightening mechanism. Vertical, generally rectangular channels 11 are provided yalong the vertical corners United States Patent O 2,811,886 Patented Nov. 5, 1957 r ICC of the cubical block 10. A bolt 12 extends upwardly through a central hole 13 in the block 10. The head 14 on the lower end of the bolt is generally rectangular and is adapted to be employed for securing the tool post to lathe rest 15 in the usual manner.

The top of the hole 13 terminates in a countersunk circular recess 16. A cam sleeve 17 rotatably ts into the recess 16 and rests on the bottom of the recess 16. A circular nut 1S is rotatably mounted in bore 19 of the cam cylinder 17 and is threaded on the bolt 12.

A tool holder engaging pin 23 is slidably mounted in each ofthe holes 21 centrally located in the vertical faces 22 of the block 10. A magnet 24 is rigidly inserted in a hole 26 drilled into the inner face of each piu 23 to retain the pins 23 in continuous contact with cam sleeve 17.

The cam sleeve 17 has an eccentric cam portion 27 at the level of the pins 23. ',[he pins 23 can be moved inwardly and outwardly in progressive order by turning the cam sleeve 17. Thus by turning the cam sleeve 17 to a suitable position, one of the pins 23 can be moved outwardly to engage a tool holder 28.

The tool holder 28 can be of any suitable type. One tool Iholder found to be satisfactory consists of a split block 29 with clamping screws 31. Any suitable tool such as a boring bar 32 can be inserted in the horizontal bore 33 in the split block 29. A pair of vertical retaining flanges 34 `are formed on the block 29 which aire adapted to engage the rectangular channels 11 in the cubical block 10 of the tool post assembly. A bracket assembly 36 is suitably attached to the tool holder 28 to provide for vertical adjustment of the tool holder relative to the tool post.

As mentioned previously, the rotation of the cam sleeve to a certain position causes one of the thrust pins 23 to move outwardly to engage the tool holder 28, causing the retaining flanges 34 to frictionally engage the rectangular channels l1 in the block 10. ThusQthe tool holder can be held in place merely by rotation of the cam sleeve 17 to the proper position.

Rapid operation of the tool post assembly is accomplished by the use of a single handle 41 and a lock pin mechanism 42. The head 46 of the nut 18 is provided with a series of circumferentially spaced holes 47, and the upper end of the cam sleeve 17 is provided with a series of circumferentially spaced holes 48. A hub 49 fits around the upper portion of the cam sleeve 17 and rotates on the upper surface of the block 10. A longitudinal bore 51 is provided in the hub 49. Handle 41 is fastened to the hub 49 by any suitable means such as by threading it into the bore 51. A lock pin 52 is slidably mounted in the bore 51 and is adapted to engage the holes 48 in the cam sleeve 17 and the holes 47 and the head 46 of the nut 18.

Any suitable means may be used for moving the lock pin 52 from one position to another. One assembly found to be satisfactory consists of an operating member 53 provided with an upper extending ear S4 and with a downwardly extending projection 56. The operating member may be fastened to the lock pin by any suitable means such as screw 58. A slot 57 is provided in the hub 49 whereby operating member 53 may be moved between forward and retracted limiting positions.

A detent mechanism or any other suitable means may be used for retaining the lock pin 52 in any one of three positions. A detent mechanism found to be satisfactory consists of a ball 59 forced into :engagement with the lock pin by means of spring 61. The ball 59 and the spring 61 are mounted in a suitable hole drilled in the hub 49. Three cavities 63 are longitudinally spaced along the bottom surface of the lock pin 52 and are adapted to be engaged by the ball 59.

.If desired, means may be provided within the tool post assembly to keep foreign material from the bearing surfaces. One such sealing means is shown in Figure 1 which *comprisesl afresiliemty Of'ring64'moted fin an annular groove "65'in the upper-portion of.the`h'ad 46. Operation of the :device rnay tbe briefly described ^as `follows: Let it'be assumed that lockjpin 52 is inrthe posi# tion shown in Figure 1, thefirst detent position. VThe holes 47'and 48are`shown alirgnedandlockpin 52' is shown engaging both thercarn'sl'eeve '17 and the nut 18. Rotation of the handle 41 thus serves to turn both the cam sleeve 17 and the nut.'18. YIn one direction 'of rotation of handle 41, the nut lis` tightened onthebolt 12 and the pin 23 is forcedintorcontactwithithe toolholder 28. Rotation of the handle in the Aopposite `direction causes the nut'to loosen and thepin to disengage;

Next, 'let' it be assumed that 'thelock pin '52 has been retracted by the operating memberSS to the second detent position,` that is'ball 59 engages the'midtdle cavity of cavities 63. In'this position', the lockpin 52 only engages the cam sleeve `17 whereby rotationof handle 41 rotates the cam sleeve 17 leaving the nut 18 in a stationary fposition.

Next, let it be assumed the lock pin 52 has been retracted to the third detent position by the operating member 53. In this position, the lock pin 52 Will fail to engage either the cam sleeve 17 or the nut 1S whereby handle 41 may be moved to an out-of-the-Way position.

In actual practice, our tool post assembly is used as follows: The head 14 of the bolt 12 is placed in a lathe rest 15 in the conventional manner. The operating member 53 is moved until the lock pin 52 is in the position shown in Figure 1. Handle 41 is then rotated to tighten the locking nut 18 until the tool post assembly is tightly clamped to the lathe. The tool holder 28 is then slid into position on the desired face of the block 10. Operating member 53 is moved to the second detent position whereby the lock pin 52 only engages the cam sleeve 17. Handle 41 is then rotated until it forces the desired pin 23 into engagement with the tool holder 28 to hold the tool holder in position. After this has been accomplished, the operating member 53 is removed to the third detent position whereby lock pin 52 fails to engage either the cam sleeve 17 or the nut 18. The handle 41 can then be swung to an out-of-the-way position.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that we have provided a simple device for facilitating the rapid changing of tools. The device is very accurate and it can be installed on many different types of metal Working lathes.

We claim:

1. In a tool post assembly adapted to engage a lathe rest, a block, a tool holder mounted on said block, a central vertical bore in said block, a cam sleeve rotatably mounted in said bore, at least one horizontally extending pin mounted in said block yieldably held against said cam sleeve and adapted to engage said tool holder, a bolt mounted in said bore and adapted to engage said lathe rest, va nut tted within said sleeve and threaded on said bolt, a plurality of circumferentially spaced holes in said nut and said cam sleeve, said holes adapted to be aligned, a hub extending around said cam sleeve and adapted to be rotated on said block, a longitudinal bore in said hub,

latching means movable to three positions slidably mounted in said bore and adapted to engage the circumferentially spaced holes in said cam sleeve and said nut, an operating member attached to said latching means, said latching means in a rst position serving to engage both the cam sleeve and the nut, in a second position serving to engage only the cam sleeve, and in a third position serving to engage neither the cam sleeve nor the nut, and a handle afxed to said hub for rotating said hub in a horizontal plane, said handle being free to be swung to an out-of-the-way position when said latching means is in the'third position.

2. A device as in claim 1 together with means for determining the limits of travel for said latching means.

3. A device as in claim 2 together with spring detent means for retaining said latching means in any one of the three predetermined positions.

4. A device as'in claim 3 together with sealing means between the nut and the hub.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 777,611 Dodge Dec. 13, 1904 1,031,956 Newmann July 9, 1912 1,236,997 Tolles Aug. 14, 1917 2,466,199 Berthiez Apr. 5, 1949 2,730,918 Daugusta Jan. 17, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 38,590 France Ian. 30, 1930 240,005 Switzerland Apr. 1, 1946 338,658 Italy Mar. 31, 1936 491,920 Germany Mar. 12, 1929 

